1. Buy from reliable source, and if possible, try to trace the history of your particular MP. It is easier than you expected because each MP is such a high profile piece with unique serial number. In many case, you can actually trace it back up to who the original reporter is and make contact if he/she still alive!
2. Make sure the MPXXX engraving are in the standard correct place, this is very important as most after market from spare parts have it slight off.
3. Make sure the serial number are engraved inside the bottom cover is there
4. For most MP I tried, it have a very bouncy feel when compare to M3 in how the shutter and winder feel (Not sure if it is due to the steel gear inside, this point also for reference only)
5. Double brake design that M2 employed (Need to open bottom to check) This is important information because budda ear M3 have single brake so it is difficult to reuse M2 or M3 parts for MP.
6. Never buy a new or near new condition MP! They are for heavy use!! New ones are very suspicious... the older, the better! THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. Especially earlier one before 300, the first 2xx MP were sold to reporters and used regularly, from 300 onward, there are some left over stock that are spares or not being sold...likely can find a newer one (For reference only)
7. Make sure it is not modified and up to spec. such as double stroke, M3 finder, no self timer, budda ear, M2 counter dial etc.
8. The back film door should have the screw in the more center area instead of in the corner but the ISO dail should be up to 1000.
9. Most sample I tried have the shutter button set up very high (This is for reference only)
10. The engravings at the top plate seems slightly darker especially the shutter dail and the red arrow are almost all fated and become black. Making it a very &quot;black and white&quot; look at the top (This only apply to chrome model)
11. The side lower edge of the back door have a more dramatic longer slope where it touch the body shell, the M3 and M2 ones have a shorter slope (Sorry, this one is hard to explain without a picture)
12. I think for black paint model, you should also apply your knowledge about black paint leica in general, but for MP, they are never glossy, more like the earlier M2 black paint.

6. Never buy a new or near new condition MP! They are for heavy use!! New ones are very suspicious... the older, the better! THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. Especially earlier one before 300, the first 2xx MP were sold to reporters and used regularly, from 300 onward, there are some left over stock that are spares or not being sold...likely can find a newer one (For reference only)
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不是很同意PANDA的觀點。MP當時是徠卡給專業記者用的，但專業記者不可能只有一台MP，可能有IIIC IIIF IIIG M2 M3 M4等多種機型，有可能MP没用多久(MP加了LEICAVIT體積太大，太惹人眼球，重量也重，又没35框線），專業記者可能覺得用M2 M4來的方便。不排除MP用了没多久，改用M2 M4了，因此成色好的MP有很多。包括現在全新的銀色MP黑漆MP都有。

New not equal fake, just the probability of being fake is higher! Why bare the risk if there's other options. We all know it is easy to lego a fake MP and there's a lot out there.. when an item reach such price, it become "cheap" to fake one to similar quality as a new one.